Configurable heads-up dash display

ABSTRACT

Methods and systems for a heads-up configurable vehicle dash display are provided. Specifically, a configurable dash may comprise one or more displays that are capable of receiving input from a user. At least one of these displays may be configured to present a plurality of custom applications that, when manipulated by at least one user, are adapted to control and/or monitor functions associated with a vehicle and/or associated peripheral devices. It is anticipated that the function and appearance of the plurality of custom applications may be altered via user and/or processor input.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefits of and priority, under 35U.S.C. §119(e), to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. Nos. 61/560,509,filed on Nov. 16, 2011, entitled “Complete Vehicle Ecosystem”;61/637,164, filed on Apr. 23, 2012, entitled “Complete VehicleEcosystem”; 61/646,747, filed on May 14, 2012, entitled “Branding ofElectrically Propelled Vehicles Via the Generation of Specific OperatingSounds”; 61/653,275, filed on May 30, 2012, entitled “VehicleApplication Store for Console”; 61/653,264, filed on May 30, 2012,entitled “Control of Device Features Based on Vehicle State”;61/653,563, filed on May 31, 2012, entitled “Complete VehicleEcosystem”; 61/663,335, filed on Jun. 22, 2012, entitled “CompleteVehicle Ecosystem”; 61/672,483, filed on Jul. 17, 2012, entitled“Vehicle Climate Control”; and 61/714,016, filed on Oct. 15, 2012,entitled “Vehicle Middleware.” The entire disclosures of theapplications listed above are hereby incorporated by reference, in theirentirety, for all that they teach and for all purposes.

This application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/420,236, filed on Mar. 14, 2012, entitled, “Configurable VehicleConsole”; Ser. No. 13/420,240, filed on Mar. 14, 2012, entitled“Removable, Configurable Vehicle Console”; Ser. No. 13/462,593, filed onMay 2, 2012, entitled “Configurable Dash Display”; Ser. No. 13/462,596,filed on May 2, 2012, entitled “Configurable Heads-Up Dash Display”;Ser. No. ______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012, entitled “Implementation ofConquest Functionality in Automotive Console” (Attorney Docket No.6583-228); Ser. No. ______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012, entitled “GestureRecognition for On-Board Display” (Attorney Docket No. 6583-229); Ser.No. ______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012, entitled “Vehicle Application Storefor Console” (Attorney Docket No. 6583-230); Ser. No. ______, filed onNov. 16, 2012, entitled “Sharing Applications/Media Between Car andPhone (Hydroid)” (Attorney Docket No. 6583-231); Ser. No. ______, filedon Nov. 16, 2012, entitled “In-Cloud Connection for Car Multimedia”(Attorney Docket No. 6583-232); Ser. No. ______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012,entitled “Music Streaming” (Attorney Docket No. 6583-233); Ser. No.______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012, entitled “Control of Device FeaturesBased on Vehicle State” (Attorney Docket No. 6583-234); Ser. No. ______,filed on Nov. 16, 2012, entitled “Insurance Tracking” (Attorney DocketNo. 6583-235); Ser. No. ______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012, entitled “LawBreaking/Behavior Sensor” (Attorney Docket No. 6583-236); Ser. No.______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012, entitled “Etiquette Suggestion”(Attorney Docket No. 6583-237); Ser. No. ______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012,entitled “Parking Space Finder Based on Parking Meter Data” (AttorneyDocket No. 6583-238); Ser. No. ______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012, entitled“Parking Meter Expired Alert” (Attorney Docket No. 6583-239); Ser. No.______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012, entitled “Object Sensing (PedestrianAvoidance/Accident Avoidance)” (Attorney Docket No. 6583-240); Ser. No.______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012, entitled “Proximity Warning Relative toOther Cars” (Attorney Docket No. 6583-241); Ser. No. ______, filed onNov. 16, 2012, entitled “Street Side Sensors” (Attorney Docket No.6583-242); Ser. No. ______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012, entitled “CarLocation” (Attorney Docket No. 6583-243); Ser. No. ______, filed on Nov.16, 2012, entitled “Universal Bus in the Car” (Attorney Docket No.6583-244); Ser. No. ______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012, entitled “Mobile HotSpot/Router/Application Share Site or Network” (Attorney Docket No.6583-245); Ser. No. ______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012, entitled “UniversalConsole Chassis for the Car” (Attorney Docket No. 6583-246); Ser. No.______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012, entitled “Middleware” (Attorney DocketNo. 6583-247); Ser. No. ______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012, entitled “RealTime Traffic” (Attorney Docket No. 6583-248); Ser. No. ______, filed onNov. 16, 2012, entitled “Map Updating” (Attorney Docket No. 6583-249);Ser. No. ______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012, entitled “Communications Basedon Vehicle Diagnostics and Indications” (Attorney Docket No. 6583-250);Ser. No. ______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012, entitled “Felon Identifier”(Attorney Docket No. 6583-251); Ser. No. ______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012,entitled “Behavioral Tracking and Vehicle Applications” (Attorney DocketNo. 6583-252); Ser. No. ______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012, entitled“Improvements to Controller Area Network Bus” (Attorney Docket No.6583-314); Ser. No. ______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012, entitled “LocationInformation Exchange Between Vehicle and Device” (Attorney Docket No.6583-315); Ser. No. ______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012, entitled “In CarCommunication Between Devices” (Attorney Docket No. 6583-316); Ser. No.______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012, entitled “Configurable Hardware Unit forCar Systems” (Attorney Docket No. 6583-317); Ser. No. ______, filed onNov. 16, 2012, entitled “Feature Recognition for Configuring a VehicleConsole and Associated Devices” (Attorney Docket No. 6583-318); Ser. No.______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012, entitled “Configurable Vehicle Console”(Attorney Docket No. 6583-412); Ser. No. ______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012,entitled “Configurable Dash Display” (Attorney Docket No. 6583-413); andSer. No. ______, filed on Nov. 16, 2012, entitled “Removable,Configurable Vehicle Console” (Attorney Docket No. 6583-415). The entiredisclosures of the applications listed above are hereby incorporated byreference, in their entirety, for all that they teach and for allpurposes.

BACKGROUND

Whether using private, commercial, or public transport, the movement ofpeople and/or cargo has become a major industry. In today'sinterconnected world, daily travel is essential to engaging in commerce.Commuting to and from work can account for a large portion of atraveler's day. As a result, vehicle manufacturers have begun to focuson making this commute, and other journeys, more enjoyable.

Currently, vehicle manufacturers attempt to entice travelers to use aspecific conveyance based on any number of features. Most of thesefeatures focus on vehicle safety, or efficiency. From the addition ofsafety-restraints, air-bags, and warning systems to more efficientengines, motors, and designs, the vehicle industry has worked to appeasethe supposed needs of the traveler. Recently, however, vehiclemanufactures have shifted their focus to user and passenger comfort as aprimary concern. Making an individual more comfortable while travelinginstills confidence and pleasure in using a given vehicle, increasing anindividual's preference for a given manufacturer and/or vehicle type.

One way to instill comfort in a vehicle is to create an environmentwithin the vehicle similar to that of an individual's home or place ofcomfort. Integrating features in a vehicle that are associated withcomfort found in an individual's home can ease a traveler's transitionfrom home to vehicle. Several manufacturers have added comfort featuresin vehicles such as the following: leather seats, adaptive and/orpersonal climate control systems, music and media players, ergonomiccontrols, and in some cases Internet connectivity. However, becausethese manufacturers have added features to a conveyance, they have builtcomfort around a vehicle and failed to build a vehicle around comfort.

SUMMARY

There is a need for a vehicle ecosystem that can integrate both physicaland mental comforts while seamlessly operating with current electronicdevices to result in a totally intuitive and immersive user experience.These and other needs are addressed by the various aspects, embodiments,and/or configurations of the present disclosure. Also, while thedisclosure is presented in terms of exemplary embodiments, it should beappreciated that individual aspects of the disclosure can be separatelyclaimed.

A method of configuring a heads-up display (“HUD”) of a vehicle dash,comprising: displaying, at a first time, vehicle dash information in afirst layout on at least one of a graphical user interface (“GUI”) and aHUD unit to project the vehicle dash information above a vehicle dash,wherein the vehicle dash information comprises one or more applications,and wherein the one or more applications correspond to vehicle readoutssuch as a speedometer, odometer, tachometer, trip meter, fuel gage,temperature gage, electrical system gage, and indicators; receiving afirst input at the GUI, wherein the first input corresponds to aninstruction to alter the first layout of the vehicle dash information toa second layout of the vehicle dash information, and wherein the secondlayout of the vehicle dash information is different from the firstlayout of the vehicle dash information; selecting, by a processor, thesecond layout of the vehicle dash information to display on the GUI andproject by the HUD unit; and displaying, at a second time, the secondlayout of the vehicle dash information by the HUD unit.

A method of configuring an appearance of one or more applications shownon a heads-up display (“HUD”) of a vehicle dash, comprising: displaying,at a first time, a first appearance of one or more applications on atleast one of a graphical user interface (“GUI”) and a HUD unit, whereinthe one or more applications correspond to one or more instrumentsassociated with the vehicle dash, and wherein the first appearancecorresponds to at least one of a first aesthetic and a first function ofthe one or more applications; receiving a first input at the GUI, thefirst input corresponding to an instruction to alter the firstappearance of the one or more applications to a second appearance of theone or more applications, and wherein the second appearance of the oneor more applications is different from the first appearance of the oneor more applications; selecting, by a processor, the second appearanceof the one or more applications to display on the GUI and project by theHUD unit; and displaying, at a second time, the second appearance of theone or more applications by the HUD unit.

A device for configuring a heads-up display (“HUD”) of a vehicle dash todisplay one or more vehicle applications, comprising: a Graphical UserInterface (“GUI”) including a first display area; an input gesture areaof the first display area; a HUD unit; a vehicle signal input/outputport, wherein the vehicle signal input/output port is configured toreceive and send signals to and from a plurality of vehicle devices; anon-transitory computer readable medium having instructions storedthereon that, when executed by a processor, perform the methodcomprising: displaying, at a first time, vehicle dash information in afirst layout on at least one of the GUI and the HUD unit, wherein thevehicle dash information comprises one or more applications, and whereinthe one or more applications correspond to vehicle readouts such as aspeedometer, odometer, tachometer, trip meter, fuel gage, temperaturegage, electrical system gage, and indicators; receiving a first input atthe GUI, wherein the first input corresponds to an instruction to alterthe first layout of the vehicle dash information to a second layout ofthe vehicle dash information, and wherein the second layout of thevehicle dash information is different from the first layout of thevehicle dash information; selecting, by a processor, the second layoutof the vehicle dash information to display on the GUI and project by theHUD unit; and displaying, at a second time, the second layout of thevehicle dash information by the HUD unit.

The present disclosure can provide a number of advantages depending onthe particular aspect, embodiment, and/or configuration. Currently,vehicle dash displays, clusters, and the like are known to includephysical and/or electrical instrumentation to provide one or moreindividuals with interactive elements of various vehicle features. Forexample, vehicles may include fuel level gages, speedometers,tachometers, indicators, night-vision displays, and other instrumentsaccessible at a dash display or cluster. In some vehicles, theadjustment of instruments may be achieved through physical manipulationof dials, knobs, switches, keys, buttons, and the like at or adjacent tothe dash display or cluster. However, the dash displays, or clusters, onmost vehicles severely limit the custom configurability, functionality,and/or the location of instruments. Typically, users have access to onlyadjust the light intensity and in some instances background/foregroundcolors of a dashboard or instrument panel display. In other words, userscannot fully configure a dashboard or its display.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure a configurable dash displayis described. Specifically, the present disclosure is directed to a dashdisplay that can be arranged to suit the settings of users, passengers,laws, rules, and/or regulations. In some cases, a dash display of avehicle may span across, or be separated into, one or more individualscreens. It is anticipated that separated screens may share software,communication, power, and even operating system control. The dashdisplay may be configured to display various instruments, indications,warnings, media components, entertainment features, colors, backgrounds,images, and/or the like. Configurability may relate to setting one ormore custom and/or predefined layouts to be displayed by one or morevisual output devices, such as projected and/or reflected images,screens, and/or touch-sensitive displays. This configurable dash displaymay be configured to show different layouts for different zones of avehicle based on preferences associated with one or more individuals inthe different zones. It is anticipated that the configurable dashdisplay may occupy a section and/or a substantial portion of the dash ofa vehicle. In some instances the configurable dash display may spanacross an entire dash of a vehicle. This configuration may allowmultiple users to monitor and/or access sections of the configurabledash display. For example, one user may be observing driving controlsand indicators from one area of the configurable dash display, whileanother user (or passenger) may be watching a video and/or alteringother controls from another area of the display.

In some embodiments, the custom configured display layouts may be shownin response to user recognition (whether via, key, chip, gesture,weight, heat signature, camera detection, facial recognition, and/orcombinations thereof). This display of configured layouts and the userrecognition may be automatically and/or manually initiated. Embodimentsof the present disclosure anticipate that display layouts may bemodified in response to conditions, sensor signals, communication withperipheral devices, and the like.

In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a configurable dashdisplay is shown to incorporate various features and controls that maybe selectively configured by an application, user, software, hardware,various input, and the like. Configuration may include adjustments to atleast one of the size, location, available features, functions,applications, modules, and behavior of the configurable dash display. Insome cases, the dash display may present applications that are capableof receiving input from at least one individual and modify at least onevehicle setting. For instance, the dash display may show a cruisecontrol application where, the speed of the vehicle may be set throughthe GUI. Additionally or alternatively, the dash display may presentapplications directed to disability and/or accessibility. For example,the GUI may display speed controls, braking controls, and/or steeringcontrol applications, to name a few, that are configured to receive userinput and alter at least one function of the vehicle, and even thevehicle control system. It is one aspect of the present disclosure toallow for the integration of custom designed templates of standard dashdisplay layouts that users may manipulate and/or modify. In someembodiments, the layout of one or more applications may be preconfiguredin templates that can be selected for display. These preconfiguredlayouts may be manually or automatically selected and may even bealtered after selection. These configurations and/or modifications maybe saved and stored. It is anticipated that a vehicle may be dividedinto zones, or areas of a vehicle. These zones may be associated withdash display layouts such that each zone may share a layout with atleast one other zone, have display layouts that are separate from atleast one other zone, and/or combinations thereof. It is anticipatedthat a plurality of applications may be displayed to a user associatedwith at least one zone. For instance, a speedometer, tachometer, and/orindication application may be displayed to a first user associated witha first zone (and even to a position of the GUI that is associated withthe first zone), while a radio, media player, clock, and/or GPSapplication may be displayed to a second user associated with a secondzone (where application or applications displayed to the second user caneven be displayed to a position of the GUI that is associated with thesecond zone).

Further, certain controls and/or features may be selected to display inany given position on the dash display. For example, if a user wishes toview an analog speedometer of a vehicle in a specific area on thedisplay, the user may place a “simulated-analog speedometer”module/application on the configurable dash display. The position and/orfeatures of this module/application may be adjusted according to rulesand its position may be arranged as desired by the user and/or rules.Additionally or alternatively, the user and/or rules may adjust the sizeof the module and/or adjust the scale of the module. For instance, inthe speedometer example above, the user may wish to view a large dialand as such may increase the speedometer's size to fit the user'sdesire. In some embodiments, the user may adjust the scale of thedisplayed speed on the speedometer by specifying a different maximumupper limit. In the aforementioned scenario, the user may decrease theupper speed limit from a 160 mph gage to a 85 mph, for example. Becausethe speedometer described may be a simulated-analog dial, themeasurement (distance) between each displayed speed may increase as theupper limit is decreased. This change in the analog scale may change theaccuracy of speed displayed. It is anticipated that changes to scale,units, limits, size, and/or the like may be incorporated on all or mostdisplayable modules/applications.

It is anticipated that at least one of the GUI and the HUD may bepartitioned into two or more zones. These zones may be physical and/orvirtual. For instance, a single GUI and/or HUD may include partitionedzones that represent a virtual grid of display areas. Each of thedisplay areas may display information alone or in conjunction with otherdisplay areas of the GUI and/or HUD. As can be appreciated, each of thepartitioned zones and/or each display may display vehicle dashinformation. In some embodiments, at least one of the display areas maybe configured to display information, or data, other than vehicle dashinformation.

It is anticipated that recommended positions for the module, or modules,could be provided by the vehicle dash display system. If a user wishesto add a “fuel gage” module to the dash display the user can similarlyselect position, size, and/or other features associated with the moduleto best suit the user's needs. A user may access a respective orselected dash display configuration from among a plurality of differentdash display configurations by inputting a code or identifier. Theresult is that different users of a common vehicle or common make, year,and model can have differently configured dash displays. As previouslymentioned, a dash display configuration may be shown upon recognizing aparticular user.

In some embodiments, these modules may be programmed to disappear, dim,or exhibit other functions in response to some type of stimulus. Forexample, the user may want one or more control modules to dim upondriving. Alternatively, the user may want one or more modules todisappear according to a timer or other stimulus. It is anticipated thatthe stimulus may include user input, timers, sensors, programmedconditions, and the like.

For example, in the event of an accident, access to a vehicle's speed,tachometer, and/or other non-essential modules is of little benefit. Inan emergency scenario, the dash display may use one or more sensors,possibly including vehicle sensor (e.g., air bag sensor, gyroscope, oraccelerometer), to detect the accident and provide emergency features toa user via the configurable dash display. These features may replace thestandard modules arranged on the dash display (e.g., the speedometer andtachometer modules are minimized or removed, replaced by one or moreemergency modules). A large “hazard” light module may be created.Additionally or alternatively, an emergency contact module may beprovided to allow the user easy access to an emergency communicationchannel. Contacting the emergency channel could be left to thediscretion of the user. As can be appreciated by one skilled in the art,these emergency modules may automatically contact an emergency channeland/or use timers and other sensors to determine whether to initiatecontact with the emergency channel.

In accordance with the present disclosure, it is anticipated that thevehicle may use sensors in an individual's phone or other device todetect a specific user's heartbeat and/or monitor a user's other vitalsigns. These vital signs could be relayed to an emergency contact to aidin possible treatment and/or evaluate a necessary emergency response.Using a phone's, or other device's, gyroscope and/or accelerometer todetect a user's heartbeat could be achieved via storing conditions at atime prior to an accident and comparing the stored conditions to thoseobtained during the emergency. In the event that a user has associatedhis or her phone and/or device with the vehicle and/or dash display,this process of monitoring, sending, and using the vital signinformation could be achieved automatically by the dash display and/orvehicle.

In some embodiments components and/or modules of the configurable dashdisplay may be shown by a Heads-Up Display (“HUD”). The HUD, or HUDunit, may be activated by stored user preferences, manual input, and/orin response to conditions. It is anticipated that the stored preferencesmay include the storage of recognition features that can be interpretedby a processor and associated with at least one individual. As describedabove, the HUD and/or HUD layout may be initiated, configured, modified,saved, and/or deactivated in a similar or identical manner to theconfigurable dash display. The HUD may employ various methods and lightsources to display the configurable dash display to one or more users,including but not limited to, projection, Cathode Ray Tube (“CRT”),Light Emitting Diode (“LED”), Liquid Crystal Display (“LCD”), OrganicLight Emitting Diode (“OLED”), and the like. Embodiments of the presentdisclosure anticipate configuring the HUD and/or dash display via atouch-screen display. The touch-screen display may be part of thevehicle console, vehicle dash display, and/or other device that isassociated with the vehicle. For example, a user may wish to configurethe vehicle dash display from a computer, tablet, smart-phone, and/orother device that has been associated with the vehicle. The user maymake and store the configurable dash display changes, which may then betransferred to the vehicle dash display automatically and/or upondetecting an input from at least one user.

It is an aspect of the present disclosure that the aforementionedconfigurable dash displays, whether output to one or more screens,devices, and/or shown in a HUD format, may be intentionally limited inconfigurability and/or display to conform with local, regional, and/ornational rules, laws, and/or regulations. For instance, it may berequired by a law that every vehicle dash display/cluster includes aspeedometer. Although the user may configure the appearance and/orbehavior of the speedometer in this case, the user may be restrictedfrom removing a speedometer from the dash display. In embodiments, locallaws may differ and the configurable dash display and/or vehicle mayaccess location services to determine if a specific dash module isrequired in a given area. The location services may include GPS, Wi-FiAccess Points, Cell Towers, combinations thereof, and the like todetermine a general or specific location of the vehicle. It isanticipated that the vehicle may make use of one or more devicesassociated with the vehicle to determine location. The dash display mayreconfigure automatically upon detecting a change in location and thelaws associated with the location. To prevent possible confusionsurrounding the reconfiguration of a dash display, a description and/ormessage could accompany or precede the change to notify at least oneuser. For example, a vehicle may be traveling from one country that hasno restrictions regarding speedometer display to another that requiresthe displayed speed on a speedometer to be listed in dual measurements(e.g., mph and kph). In this instance, the configurable dash display mayautomatically detect the location of the vehicle, refer to rulesassociated with the locality, and modify the dash display accordingly.These and other advantages will be apparent from the disclosure.

In the event that a user has customized a dashboard, and crosses adefined legal boundary (like a state or country border) the currentlocation of the vehicle will define the laws to which the vehicle andassociated devices and capabilities must adhere. The original, andother, configuration preferences of a user may be stored in memory. Oncethe user returns to a geographical location that allows the presetconfiguration preferences, the configurable dashboard can access thestored memory and may return the dashboard to the preset configuration.It is anticipated that specific geographical location laws could bepreprogrammed into a device with which the vehicle communicates, whetherthe device memory is on-board or remotely located from the vehicle.

As can be appreciated, traveling across different legal boundariesand/or geographical locations, where certain instruments may be requiredand consequently appear and disappear from a dashboard may causeconfusion to a user. It is an embodiment of the present disclosure toprovide an indication to the user that a specific instrument is requiredin the given location and/or area. In some embodiments, the user mayreceive a notification upon crossing a legal boundary. In yet anotherembodiment, where an instrument is required and added to the dashboard,the instrument itself may contain information that it is a requiredinstrument in the territory in which the vehicle is located. Forexample, if territory “X” requires an odometer to be a part of thedashboard display, the odometer may appear on the dashboard with ahighlighted or otherwise emphasized “X” marker to identify therequirement and the jurisdiction. Capabilities of the console may beenabled or disabled based on vehicle location. For example,communication modes, such as texting, tweeting, email, and the like maybe enabled or disabled based on vehicle location. Vehicle location maybe mapped against applicable laws of a governmental entity, such as acity, municipality, county, province, state, country, and the like.Alternatively, capabilities of the console may be enabled or disabledbased on contract requirements, employer rules or policies, etc.

The phrases “at least one”, “one or more”, and “and/or” are open-endedexpressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. Forexample, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C”, “at leastone of A, B, or C”, “one or more of A, B, and C”, “one or more of A, B,or C” and “A, B, and/or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and Btogether, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B and C together.

The term “a” or “an” entity refers to one or more of that entity. Assuch, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “at least one” can beused interchangeably herein. It is also to be noted that the terms“comprising”, “including”, and “having” can be used interchangeably.

The term “automatic” and variations thereof, as used herein, refers toany process or operation done without material human input when theprocess or operation is performed. However, a process or operation canbe automatic, even though performance of the process or operation usesmaterial or immaterial human input, if the input is received beforeperformance of the process or operation. Human input is deemed to bematerial if such input influences how the process or operation will beperformed. Human input that consents to the performance of the processor operation is not deemed to be “material.”

The term “computer-readable medium” as used herein refers to anytangible storage and/or transmission medium that participate inproviding instructions to a processor for execution. Such a medium maytake many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media,volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media includes, forexample, NVRAM, or magnetic or optical disks. Volatile media includesdynamic memory, such as main memory. Common forms of computer-readablemedia include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk,magnetic tape, or any other magnetic medium, magneto-optical medium, aCD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any otherphysical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, and EPROM, aFLASH-EPROM, a solid state medium like a memory card, any other memorychip or cartridge, a carrier wave as described hereinafter, or any othermedium from which a computer can read. A digital file attachment toe-mail or other self-contained information archive or set of archives isconsidered a distribution medium equivalent to a tangible storagemedium. When the computer-readable media is configured as a database, itis to be understood that the database may be any type of database, suchas relational, hierarchical, object-oriented, and/or the like.Accordingly, the disclosure is considered to include a tangible storagemedium or distribution medium and prior art-recognized equivalents andsuccessor media, in which the software implementations of the presentdisclosure are stored.

The term “desktop” refers to a metaphor used to portray systems. Adesktop is generally considered a “surface” that typically includespictures, called icons, widgets, folders, etc. that can activate showapplications, windows, cabinets, files, folders, documents, and othergraphical items. The icons are generally selectable to initiate a taskthrough user interface interaction to allow a user to executeapplications or conduct other operations.

The term “display” refers to a portion of a screen used to display theoutput of a computer to a user.

The term “displayed image” refers to an image produced on the display. Atypical displayed image is a window or desktop. The displayed image mayoccupy all or a portion of the display.

The term “display orientation” refers to the way in which a rectangulardisplay is oriented by a user for viewing. The two most common types ofdisplay orientation are portrait and landscape. In landscape mode, thedisplay is oriented such that the width of the display is greater thanthe height of the display (such as a 4:3 ratio, which is 4 units wideand 3 units tall, or a 16:9 ratio, which is 16 units wide and 9 unitstall). Stated differently, the longer dimension of the display isoriented substantially horizontal in landscape mode while the shorterdimension of the display is oriented substantially vertical. In theportrait mode, by contrast, the display is oriented such that the widthof the display is less than the height of the display. Stateddifferently, the shorter dimension of the display is orientedsubstantially horizontal in the portrait mode while the longer dimensionof the display is oriented substantially vertical. The multi-screendisplay can have one composite display that encompasses all the screens.The composite display can have different display characteristics basedon the various orientations of the device.

The term “gesture” refers to a user action that expresses an intendedidea, action, meaning, result, and/or outcome. The user action caninclude manipulating a device (e.g., opening or closing a device,changing a device orientation, moving a trackball or wheel, etc.),movement of a body part in relation to the device, movement of animplement or tool in relation to the device, audio inputs, etc. Agesture may be made on a device (such as on the screen) or with thedevice to interact with the device.

The term “module” as used herein refers to any known or later developedhardware, software, firmware, artificial intelligence, fuzzy logic, orcombination of hardware and software that is capable of performing thefunctionality associated with that element.

The term “gesture capture” refers to a sense or otherwise a detection ofan instance and/or type of user gesture. The gesture capture can occurin one or more areas of the screen, A gesture region can be on thedisplay, where it may be referred to as a touch sensitive display or offthe display where it may be referred to as a gesture capture area.

A “multi-screen application” refers to an application that is capable ofproducing one or more windows that may simultaneously occupy multiplescreens. A multi-screen application commonly can operate insingle-screen mode in which one or more windows of the application aredisplayed only on one screen or in multi-screen mode in which one ormore windows are displayed simultaneously on multiple screens.

A “single-screen application” refers to an application that is capableof producing one or more windows that may occupy only a single screen ata time.

The term “screen,” “touch screen,” or “touchscreen” refers to a physicalstructure that enables the user to interact with the computer bytouching areas on the screen and provides information to a user througha display. The touch screen may sense user contact in a number ofdifferent ways, such as by a change in an electrical parameter (e.g.,resistance or capacitance), acoustic wave variations, infrared radiationproximity detection, light variation detection, and the like. In aresistive touch screen, for example, normally separated conductive andresistive metallic layers in the screen pass an electrical current. Whena user touches the screen, the two layers make contact in the contactedlocation, whereby a change in electrical field is noted and thecoordinates of the contacted location calculated. In a capacitive touchscreen, a capacitive layer stores electrical charge, which is dischargedto the user upon contact with the touch screen, causing a decrease inthe charge of the capacitive layer. The decrease is measured, and thecontacted location coordinates determined. In a surface acoustic wavetouch screen, an acoustic wave is transmitted through the screen, andthe acoustic wave is disturbed by user contact. A receiving transducerdetects the user contact instance and determines the contacted locationcoordinates.

The term “window” refers to a, typically rectangular, displayed image onat least part of a display that contains or provides content differentfrom the rest of the screen. The window may obscure the desktop.

The terms “determine,” “calculate,” and “compute,” and variationsthereof, as used herein, are used interchangeably and include any typeof methodology, process, mathematical operation or technique.

It shall be understood that the term “means” as used herein shall begiven its broadest possible interpretation in accordance with 35 U.S.C.,Section 112, Paragraph 6. Accordingly, a claim incorporating the term“means” shall cover all structures, materials, or acts set forth herein,and all of the equivalents thereof. Further, the structures, materialsor acts and the equivalents thereof shall include all those described inthe summary of the invention, brief description of the drawings,detailed description, abstract, and claims themselves.

The term “vehicle” as used herein includes any conveyance, or model of aconveyance, where the conveyance was originally designed for the purposeof moving one or more tangible objects, such as people, animals, cargo,and the like. The term “vehicle” does not require that a conveyancemoves or is capable of movement. Typical vehicles may include but are inno way limited to cars, trucks, motorcycles, busses, automobiles,trains, railed conveyances, boats, ships, marine conveyances, submarineconveyances, airplanes, space craft, flying machines, human-poweredconveyances, and the like.

The terms “dash” and “dashboard” and variations thereof, as used herein,are used interchangeably and include any panel and/or area of a vehicledisposed adjacent to an operator, user, and/or passenger. Typicaldashboards may include but are not limited to one or more control panel,instrument housing, head unit, indicator, gauge, meter, light, audioequipment, computer, screen, display, HUD unit, and graphical userinterface.

The preceding is a simplified summary of the disclosure to provide anunderstanding of some aspects of the disclosure. This summary is neitheran extensive nor exhaustive overview of the disclosure and its variousaspects, embodiments, and/or configurations. It is intended neither toidentify key or critical elements of the disclosure nor to delineate thescope of the disclosure but to present selected concepts of thedisclosure in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detaileddescription presented below. As will be appreciated, other aspects,embodiments, and/or configurations of the disclosure are possibleutilizing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features setforth above or described in detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A depicts a first representation of a configurable dashdisplay/cluster in a general viewing area of a vehicle in accordancewith one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 1B depicts a second representation of a configurable dashdisplay/cluster in a general viewing area of a vehicle in accordancewith one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2A depicts a first representation of a graphical user interface ofa configurable dash display in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 2B depicts a second representation of a graphical user interface ofa configurable dash display in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 2C depicts a third representation of a graphical user interface ofa configurable dash display in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 2D depicts a fourth representation of a graphical user interface ofa configurable dash display in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 2E depicts a fifth representation of a graphical user interface ofa configurable dash display in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 2F depicts a sixth representation of a graphical user interface ofa configurable dash display in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 2G depicts a seventh representation of a graphical user interfaceof a configurable dash display in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 3A depicts a first representation of a configurable heads-up dashdisplay/cluster in a general viewing area of a vehicle in accordancewith one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3B depicts a second representation of a configurable heads-up dashdisplay/cluster in a general viewing area of a vehicle in accordancewith one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3C depicts a third representation of a configurable heads-up dashdisplay/cluster in a general viewing area of a vehicle in accordancewith one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3D depicts a fourth representation of a configurable heads-up dashdisplay/cluster in a general viewing area of a vehicle in accordancewith one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the hardware of thedevice;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the device software and/orfirmware;

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram depicting a first configurable dash displaymethod in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram depicting a second configurable dash displaymethod in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram depicting a third configurable dash displaymethod in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

In the appended figures, similar components and/or features may have thesame reference label. Further, various components of the same type maybe distinguished by following the reference label by a letter thatdistinguishes among the similar components. If only the first referencelabel is used in the specification, the description is applicable to anyone of the similar components having the same first reference labelirrespective of the second reference label.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Presented herein are embodiments of a device. The device can compriseone device or a compilation of devices. Furthermore, the device mayinclude one or more communications devices, such as cellular telephones,or other smart devices. This device, or devices, may be capable ofcommunicating with other devices and/or to an individual or group ofindividuals. Further, this device, or these devices, can receive userinput in unique ways. The overall design and functionality of eachdevice provides for an enhanced user experience making the device moreuseful and more efficient. As described herein, the device(s) may beelectrical, mechanical, electro-mechanical, software-based, and/orcombinations thereof.

FIG. 1A depicts a first representation of a configurable dashdisplay/cluster in a general viewing area of a vehicle 120 in accordancewith one embodiment of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, theconfigurable dash display, or device, 100 may span across one or moredisplays. As depicted, at least one device 100 may occupy a section of avehicle dash 104. These one or more displays may be located on oradjacent to the dash 104 of a vehicle 120. It is an aspect of thepresent disclosure that the configurable dash display may be locatedsuch that one or more individuals associated with a vehicle 120 caninteract with and/or observe the configurable dash display. The device100 may comprise a front screen, Graphical User Interface, and/orhardware switches or buttons.

It is anticipated that the device 100 may communicate with, and/or beoperated independently of, one or more console displays 108 a, 108 b.Communication between the device 100 and at least one additional consoledisplay 108 a, 108 b may be achieved through physical and/or wirelessmethods. It is one aspect of the present disclosure that the device 100may be configured at the device 100 and/or at least one console display108 a, 108 b. For example, a user (e.g., a passenger) may wish toconfigure settings that are associated with the user while the vehicleis being operated by another. In this example, the user could safelyarrange and/or configure a dash display for at least one of an operatingcondition and non-operating condition. The user may then save theconfiguration and/or arrangement in a memory location that may beassociated with at least one user of the vehicle.

FIG. 1B depicts a second representation of a configurable dashdisplay/cluster 100 in a general viewing area of a vehicle in accordancewith one embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, FIG. 1Bshows the device 100 occupying a substantial portion of the vehicle dash104. It is an aspect of the present disclosure that the device mayoccupy the entire space of the dash 104. The device 100 may beconfigured such that it is the dash 104 of a vehicle. As depicted, thedevice 100 may be accessible by one or more users (e.g., at least oneoperator, passenger, etc.). Input may be received at the device 100 fromone or more users and/or signals simultaneously. For example, one usermay be adjusting controls and configurations of the device that may beassociated with one position of the vehicle, while another user may bemanipulating controls and/or configurations associated with anotherposition of the vehicle.

FIGS. 2A-2G depict multiple representations of a graphical userinterface (“GUI”) in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure. In some embodiments, icons, applications, and/or thepresentation layout may be modified via user input and/or automaticallyvia a processor.

The configurable dash display, or device, 100 can include a number ofdevices that work separately or together with at least one processand/or signal of a vehicle to provide various input/output functions.One such device 100 includes a touch sensitive front screen 204. In someembodiments, the entire front surface of the front screen 204 may betouch sensitive and capable of receiving input by a user touching thefront surface of the front screen 204. The front screen 204 includestouch sensitive display 208, which, in addition to being touchsensitive, also displays information to at least one user. In otherembodiments, the screen 204 may include more than one display area.

It is anticipated that the device 100 may include a dual-screen phoneand/or smartpad as described in respective U.S. patent application Ser.Nos. 13/222,921, filed Aug. 31, 2011, entitled “DESKTOP REVEALEXPANSION,” and 13/247,581, filed Sep. 28, 2011, entitled “SMARTPADORIENTATION.” Each of the aforementioned documents is incorporatedherein by this reference in their entirety for all that they teach andfor all purposes.

In addition to touch sensing, front screen 204 may also include areasthat receive input from a user without requiring the user to touch thedisplay area of the screen. For example, the front screen 204 may beconfigured to display content to the touch sensitive display 208, whileat least one other area may be configured to receive touch input via agesture capture area 206. The front screen 204 includes at least onegesture capture area 206. This at least one gesture capture area 206 isable to receive input by recognizing gestures made by a user touchingthe gesture capture area surface of the front screen 204. In comparisonto the touch sensitive display 208, the gesture capture area 206 iscommonly not capable of rendering a displayed image.

In some embodiments, the device 100 may include one or more physicaland/or electrical features such as switches, buttons, cameras, ports,slots, inputs, outputs, and the like. These features may be located onone or more surfaces of the device 100. In some embodiments, one or moreof these features may be located adjacent to the device. It is an aspectof the present disclosure that the device 100 may communicate withand/or utilize one or more of these features that may be associated withother devices. For instance, the device 100 may communicate with anotherdevice (such as, at least one configurable vehicle console, smart-phone,tablet, and/or other computer) that has been associated with the vehicleto, among other things, utilize at least one feature of the otherdevice. In this scenario, the device 100 may use the at least one otherdevice as an extension to receive input and/or gather information.

In some embodiments, the device 100 includes a plurality of physicalcontrol buttons, which can be configured for specific inputs and, inresponse to receiving an input, may provide one or more electricalsignals to a specific input pin of a processor or Integrated Circuit(IC) in the device 100. For example, the control buttons may beconfigured to, in combination or alone, control a number of aspects ofthe device 100. Some non-limiting examples include overall system power,volume, brightness, vibration, selection of displayed items, a camera, amicrophone, and initiation/termination of device functions. In someembodiments, instead of separate buttons two buttons may be combinedinto a rocker button. This arrangement is useful in situations where thebuttons are configured to control features such as volume or brightness.In other embodiments, a button may be configured to, in addition to orin lieu of controlling one function, control other aspects of the device100. In some embodiments, one or more of the buttons may be capable ofsupporting different user commands. By way of example, a normal presshas a duration commonly of less than about 1 second and resembles aquick tap. A medium press has a duration commonly of 1 second or morebut less than about 12 seconds. A long press has a duration commonly ofabout 12 seconds or more. The function of the buttons is normallyspecific to the application that is currently in focus on the display208. In an entertainment application for instance and depending on theparticular button, a normal, medium, or long press can mean endplayback, increase volume of media, decrease volume of media, and togglevolume mute. In a camera or video application for instance and dependingon the particular button, a normal, medium, or long press can meanincrease zoom, decrease zoom, and take photograph or record video.

In embodiments, the device 100 may also include a card/memory slotand/or a port. The card/memory slot, in embodiments, may be configuredto accommodate different types of cards including a subscriber identitymodule (SIM) and/or other card based memory. The port in embodiments maybe an input/output (I/O port) that allows the device 100 to be connectedto other peripheral devices, such as a vehicle, phone, keyboard, otherdisplay, and/or printing device. As can be appreciated, these are merelysome examples and in other embodiments the device 100 may include otherslots and ports such as slots and ports for accommodating additionalmemory devices, facilitating firmware and/or software updates, and/orfor connecting other peripheral devices.

The device 100 may make use of a number of hardware components. Forinstance the device 100 may include or be configured to communicate witha speaker and/or a microphone. The microphone may be used by the device100 to receive audio input which may control and/or manipulateapplications and/or features of the device 100. In embodiments, device100 may utilize a camera and a light source, which may be used tocontrol and/or manipulate applications and/or features of the device100. It is anticipated that the device 100 may utilize one or morecameras, which can be mounted on any surface of the vehicle and/or maybe resident to at least one associated device. In the event that the oneor more cameras are used to detect user input, via gestures and/orfacial expression, the one or more cameras may be located on the frontscreen 204.

It is an aspect of the present disclosure that the device 100 is capableof interfacing with one or more other devices, including a vehiclecontrol system. These other devices may include additional displays,consoles, dashboards, associated vehicle processors, and the like.Vehicle and/or functional communications may be made between the device100 and the vehicle via communications protocols. Communication mayinvolve sending and receiving one or more signals between a vehicle andthe device 100. The device 100 may be connected to at least one otherdevice via a physical, inductive, and/or wireless association.

As can be appreciated, the description of the device 100 is made forillustrative purposes only, and the embodiments are not limited to thespecific mechanical features shown in FIGS. 2A-2G and described above.In other embodiments, the device 100 may include additional features,including one or more additional buttons, slots, display areas, and/orshapes. Additionally, in embodiments, the features described above maybe located in different parts of the device 100 and still providesimilar functionality. Therefore, FIGS. 2A-2G and the descriptionprovided above are non-limiting.

Referring now to FIG. 2A, a first representation of a GUI of aconfigurable dash display is shown in accordance with one embodiment ofthe present disclosure. In embodiments, the device 100 is adapted to runand/or display one or more applications that are associated with atleast one vehicle function. An application may be displayed onto thetouch sensitive screen 204. Additionally or alternatively, the device100 may run at least one application that is designed to monitor and/orcontrol one or more functions of a vehicle. A number of applications maybe available for display on the configurable dash display 100, which mayinclude a computer 212, a gage 214, indicators and/or indicator panel216, function buttons 220 a, 220 b, a warning indicator 224, turnsignals 228 a, 228 b, and the like. In some embodiments, a user may addapplications via an application tray that may be accessed by dragging atray handle 232 from a side of the device 100. In some embodiments, thedevice 100 may receive input from a number of different sources,including physical, electrical, and/or audible commands. Input may bereceived at the device 100 through, but not limited to, the touchsensitive screen 204, a microphone, hardware buttons, ports, cameras,and combinations thereof.

Other vehicle applications and their corresponding functions may be runby the device 100, including entertainment applications (music, movies,etc.), trip computer applications (to display mileage traveled, milesper gallon fuel consumption, average speed, etc.), phone controls(especially hands-free phones associated with the vehicle), GPS, roadconditions and warnings, and other applications useful to a vehicleoperator or passenger. It is anticipated that vehicle applications maybe purchased and/or managed via the Application Store 560.

The Application Store 560 may be similar to an application store forsmart phones, mobile devices, and computers. It is anticipated that thepresent disclosure may use a communications channel or multiple channelsavailable to the vehicle to make an application store purchase and/ordownload. Moreover, this purchase and download could be effected throughthe use of at least one individual's phone associated with the vehicle.In some embodiments, the application store may manage one or moreapplications remotely. This remote management may be achieved on the“cloud,” possibly as part of a cloud-based storage medium.

It should be noted that the processing resources required for running,or at least displaying, applications on the device 100 may be splitbetween processors that are associated with the device 100 andprocessors that are not associated with the device 100.

It is another aspect of the present disclosure that the GUI may includean application tray 240 a. The application tray 240 a may be configuredto provide access to available dash display applications 236 a, 236 b,236 c. In addition, the application tray area 240 may display dashdisplay applications available from an application store and/or providea link to an application store via one or more icons 248. Whetherapplications have been installed, displayed, purchased, or are availablefor purchase via the application store icon 248, the various status ofan application may be indicated in the application tray area 240 a. Forexample, if an application is installed and displayed on the device 100,the application icon in the application tray 240 a may appeardifferently from other icons that are not installed and displayed. Inother words, if the icons are displayed in color to illustrate one ormore state, they may appear in black and white, or grayscale, toindicate one or more other states. Therefore, given the previousexample, available applications may have full color application icons,whereas installed and displayed icons may have grayscale icons. It isanticipated that various states of at least one application icon may beillustrated using various colors, intensities, transparencies, glows,shadows, and the like.

FIG. 2B depicts a second representation of a GUI of a configurable dashdisplay in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure.Specifically, the GUI shows the device display 208 separated intodifferent areas. As shown, the device display 208 has been separatedinto two different areas represented as a tray area 240 a and aconfiguration area 240 b. In embodiments, the tray area 240 a may berevealed by dragging a tray handle 232 in a direction 234 away from aside of the device display 208. Although shown as being accessed fromthe left side of the device display 208, it should be appreciated thatthe tray handle 232 and corresponding tray area 240 a may be accessedfrom any area and/or side of the device display 208. The tray handle 232may be dragged via input received by the device at one or more gesturecapture area 206. Furthermore, the GUI may be separated into one or moredifferent areas.

In some embodiments the application tray area 240 a may be accessed bydragging a tray handle 232 or other feature to reveal the applicationtray area 240 a. Other embodiments may use gesture recognition featuresof the touch sensitive display 208, gesture capture region 206, and/orassociated hardware buttons to access the application tray area 240 a.For instance, the tray area 240 a may be revealed by a gesture drag onthe display 208 using one or more fingers. In addition, the tray area240 a may be displayed in response to a predetermined state of thedevice 100. Revealing the application tray area 240 a may be visuallyrepresented in a number of ways. Moreover, the effect that revealing thetray may have on displayed applications may also be represented in anumber of ways. In some embodiments, the application tray area 240 a mayfly-out from a side of the device 100. In other embodiments theapplication tray area 240 a may appear from a location of the display208. The manner in which the tray area 240 a transitions can beconfigured with regard to speed, color, transparency, audio output, andcombinations thereof. In another embodiment, the application tray area240 a may be “pulled” in a direction 234 from a side of the device 100to appear over displayed applications. In yet another embodiment, theapplication tray area 240 a may be pulled from a side of the device 100to share the display 208 with any displayed applications. Thisembodiment may require the resizing of displayed applications to provideadequate display area for the revealed tray area 240 a. In oneembodiment, as the tray area 240 a increases in size, the displayedapplications may decrease in size, and vice versa.

The tray area 240 a may contain various items including but not limitedto folders, menu structures, pictures, and/or other icons representativeof one or more configurable dash display applications. The itemsdisplayed in the tray area 240 a may reside in at least one local memoryand/or reside in at least one remote memory location (e.g., the cloud).It is an aspect of the present disclosure that applications may beaccessed, purchased, and/or sampled from at least one Application Store560 via the App Store icon 248. The App Store icon 248 may reside in thetray area 240 a. Once at least one application is chosen, purchased,and/or downloaded, it may be accessible from any number of folders 236a, 236 b, 236 c, . . . , 236 n and/or as an icon displayed to the GUI.Navigation through various menu structures and/or access to additionalfeatures may be made via one or more menu function icons 244.

The tray area 240 a and/or the configuration area 240 b of the GUI mayinclude one or more user-activated buttons, including but not limitedto, a preferences icon 252, Heads-Up Display (“HUD”) icon 256, and asave icon 260. In some embodiments, the preferences icon 252 may be usedto alter the manner in which content is presented to the device display208. The HUD icon 256 may be used to change the configuration displayscreen 280 and/or display the configured dash display onto a HUD. TheHUD may employ various methods and light sources to display theconfigurable dash display to one or more users, including but notlimited to, projection, Cathode Ray Tube (“CRT”), Light Emitting Diode(“LED”), Liquid Crystal Display (“LCD”), Organic Light Emitting Diode(“OLED”), and the like. The save icon 260 may be used to save one ormore of the configured dash displays. Each configuration may beassociated with one or more users. The HUD configuration may be savedvia the save icon 260. In some embodiments, the functions associatedwith the user-activated buttons may be accessed automatically and/or inresponse to at least one signal sent by a processor.

The configuration area 240 b of the GUI may contain various itemsincluding but not limited to folders, menu structures, pictures, and/orother icons representative of one or more configurable dash displayapplications. For example, the configuration area 240 b may show aconfiguration display screen 280. This configuration display screen 260represents the arranged GUI of the device which may be configured inthis area of the device screen 208. It is one aspect of the presentdisclosure that applications from the tray area 240 a may be dragged anddropped into place on the configuration area 240 b of the device screen208. Once inside the configuration area 240 b each application may beadjusted according to desired user specifications. Variousconfigurations represented by the configuration display screen 280 maybe saved by initiating a save function through a save icon 260.

FIG. 2C depicts a third representation of a graphical user interface ofa configurable dash display in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent disclosure. In particular, a user 264 is accessing anapplication from a menu structure 236 a in the tray area 240 a. The usermay select one or more applications from any menu structure, orcombination of menu structures, and drag the application around the GUIin any direction 268. For example a user may wish to select a new gagefrom the meters folder 236 a and drag it to the configuration area 240 bfor deployment in the configuration display screen 280 and even bedisplayed in the configurable dash display GUI.

Referring now to FIG. 2D a fourth representation of a graphical userinterface of a configurable dash display in accordance with oneembodiment of the present disclosure is shown. As shown, a user 264 hasdragged a meter application 218 in a direction 272 that crosses the trayarea 240 a and configuration area 240 b separator, the tray handle 232.The meter application may have been chosen from a folder 236 a in thetray area 240 a to be dropped in the configuration display screen 280 ofthe configuration area 240 b. It is an aspect of the present disclosurethat one or more applications may be dragged between the tray area 240 aand the configuration area 240 b, and vice versa. The applications maybe dragged from one area to be dropped in another and/or dragged anddropped within the same area. The behavior of a dropped application maychange if the area from which it was dragged differs from the area towhich it is dropped. For instance, an application may be dragged fromthe tray area 240 a to be dropped in the configuration area 240 b. Inthis case, the application behavior on this type of drag may beconfigured to add the application to the configuration area and/or theconfiguration display screen 280. In contrast, the same application maybe dragged from the configuration area 240 b to be dropped in the trayarea 240 a. In this scenario, the behavior of the application may beconfigured to delete the application from the configuration area 240 bonce it is “dropped” in the tray area 240 a. In this scenario, it is notnecessary that the application be added to the tray area 240 a. Thisapplication behavior may be configured to be interchangeable betweenareas and/or configured to be similar between areas.

FIG. 2E depicts a fifth representation of a graphical user interface ofa configurable dash display in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent disclosure. In general, the display of an application is shownbeing altered by at least one user 264. In accordance with the presentdisclosure, applications may be altered to display in a number ofdifferent ways. Applications may be altered from the configurationdisplay screen 280, upper console 108 a, lower console 108 b, alternateassociated device, and/or from the configurable dash display GUI. Forexample, a gage, or simulated-analog speedometer, 218 may be adjustedfor size. The size may be changed to suit the desires of a user oraccommodate a GUI configuration. For example, FIG. 2E shows asimulated-analog speedometer gage 218 being resized via the input of auser 264. In this example, a user has touched different points of thegage 218 with each finger and is dragging the gage 218 points away fromeach other in different directions 274 a, 274 b. Dragging the gage 218apart, as shown, may be configured to increase the size of a gage 218.As may be expected, the operation can be reversed, that is by draggingtwo points of the gage 218 closer together. This closer moving drag maybe employed to decrease the size of a gage 218. Some benefits ofresizing and/or altering the appearance of gages 218 include, but arenot limited to, accommodating near-sighted handicaps, adjusting theoverall aesthetic of the GUI, and placing emphasis on one or more gages218. In some instances, several gages, or applications, may bepreconfigured for size and appearance and saved as custom layouts.Although preconfigured, the components that comprise the custom layoutsmay be altered as described herein.

FIG. 2F depicts a sixth representation of a graphical user interface ofa configurable dash display in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent disclosure. In general, another display of an application isshown being altered by at least one user 264. As described above,applications may be altered to display in a number of different ways.These applications may be altered from the configuration display screen280 and/or from the GUI. FIG. 2F shows a user altering the scale of asimulated-analog speedometer gage 218. Specifically, a gage 218 like asimulated-analog speedometer may be installed with preset upper limits.For instance, most vehicles may display an upper limit on a speedometerthat may not be attainable by the vehicle. In this example, it may bedesired to increase the accuracy of an analog or simulated-analog gageby decreasing the upper limit to a reasonable and/or attainable number.Because the size of the gage 218 may be held constant, while theoriginal upper limit is reduced the original distances between speedsmay be increased in response. This scale change results in an increasein displayed accuracy. It is anticipated that this procedure may bereversed to set higher upper limits.

Additionally or alternatively, the units of measurement displayed by anapplication may be modified and/or changed to display in a number ofgiven measurement systems. For example, a user may purchase a vehicle ina metric measurement country, and as such, the vehicle may displaykilometers per hour (kph) on a simulated analog gage application,possibly as a “default” or user-programmed setting. In the event thatthe purchaser wishes to enter to an imperial measurement country, thesimulated analog gage application may be modified to display in milesper hour (mph). It is anticipated that the simulated analog gages andother application may display any range of units in accordance withknown and/or programmed measurement systems. The vehicle mayautomatically set scales, units, and/or adjust the gage 218 in responseto a specific input. For instance, once the vehicle reaches a speed notdisplayed, or approaches the upper display limit, the scale may changeto accommodate the new speeds. An alert may be presented to indicate achange to the display of one or more applications.

FIG. 2G depicts a seventh representation of a GUI of a configurable dashdisplay in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. Insome instances, the GUI may show a warning, message, and/or applicationoutput that utilizes all, or a substantial portion, of the display 208.Although applications may utilize a portion of the display 208 and evenbe configured for functionality and aesthetics, it is anticipated thatcertain features may be considered more important than others,especially in the event of an emergency. Therefore, it may be desired todisplay important information to the display 208 over, or in place of,other applications. For example, in the event of an accident, thevehicle may associate a number of warnings and/or messages to the event.In some cases, these warnings and/or messages may be important for theat least one vehicle operator and/or passenger to review and evenrespond to. As shown in FIG. 2G, a warning message, indicator, and/orcue image 224 may be presented to the display 208 by the device 100.This information may be presented in response to input detected by thedevice 100, through GPS, gyroscopic, and/or accelerometer data.Additionally or alternatively, the information may be presented inresponse to the device 100 detecting input received from the vehicleand/or at least one peripheral device associated with the vehicle.

The information (warnings, messages, cues, and the like) may bedisplayed permanently, semi-permanently, or temporarily depending onpredetermined settings and/or legal requirements. Permanently displayedinformation may be shown if an individual has attempted to modify thedevice 100 or alter specific vehicle systems without authorization.Information of this type may also be displayed permanently if thevehicle and/or the device 100 detects a condition that warrants thepermanent display of information, such as a catastrophic engine failure,a dangerous operating condition, and/or other similar conditions.Semi-permanent displayed information may be shown on display 208 untilreset via an authorized method. For instance, if the vehicle requiresmaintenance, a semi-permanent image may be displayed until themaintenance has been received and the semi-permanent image is removed.It is anticipated that the removal of semi-permanent images may be madeby authorized personnel. Authorized personnel may make use of specialinput, and/or devices to remove/reset the image from the display 208.

In some embodiments, one or more images 224 (associated with warnings,messages, cues, and the like) may appear on the display 208, which mayeven be followed by directions, recommendations, and/or controls.Continuing the previous example, if a vehicle is involved in anemergency event (such as an accident), a warning image may be displayedfollowed by directions and access to specific vehicle controls. Thedisplayed image 224 may be shown above other applications that aredisplayed on the device 100. Additionally or alternatively, thedisplayed image 224 may replace other applications and/or displayedinformation previously shown on the display 208. In embodiments,warnings and/or warning images may appear on more than one screen,display, and/or device associated with the device 100.

FIG. 3A depicts a first representation of a configurable heads-up dashdisplay/cluster in a general viewing area of a vehicle 120 in accordancewith one embodiment of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, theconfigurable heads-up dash display, HUD, may span across one or moredisplays, surfaces, windows, glasses, and/or reflective medium. Asdepicted, at least one HUD device 300 may occupy at least one area of avehicle 120. These at least one areas may be located on or adjacent tothe dash 104 of a vehicle 120. It is an aspect of the present disclosurethat the configurable heads-up dash display may be located such that oneor more individuals associated with a vehicle 120 can interact withand/or observe the configurable HUD 300. The HUD device 300 may comprisea screen, a projection unit, light-emitting unit, and Graphical UserInterface, and/or hardware switches or buttons.

It is anticipated that the HUD device 300 may communicate with, and/orbe operated independently of, one or more dash displays 100 and/orconsole displays 108 a, 108 b. Communication between the device 300, adash display 100, and/or at least one additional console display 108 a,108 b may be achieved through physical and/or wireless methods. It isone aspect of the present disclosure that the HUD device 300 may beconfigured at the dash display device 100 and/or by at least one consoledisplay 108 a, 108 b. For example, a user (e.g., a passenger) may wishto configure settings that are associated with the user while thevehicle is being operated by another. In this example, the user couldsafely arrange and/or configure a HUD display 300 for at least one of anoperating condition and non-operating condition. The user may then savethe configuration and/or arrangement in a memory location that may beassociated with at least one user of the vehicle.

Similar, if not identical, to the GUI described above in FIGS. 2A-2G,the HUD device may display applications in any number of configurations.It is anticipated that the applications and/or layout of the GUI may bearranged as described above for the GUI of the dash display device 100.Essentially, the HUD device 300 may display content in similar layoutsto the dash display device 100 and/or behave as the dash display device100. Furthermore, the HUD device 300 may be configured as is describedfor the dash display device 100 above. This configurability may eveninclude the ability to alter the appearance and/or functionality ofgages, applications, and the like.

FIG. 3B depicts a second representation of a configurable heads-up dashdisplay/cluster 300 in a general viewing area of a vehicle 120 inaccordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular,FIG. 3B shows the HUD device 300 being configured by a user at the dashdisplay device 100. It is an aspect of the present disclosure that theHUD device 300 may occupy a substantial portion of the view of a user inthe vehicle 120. The HUD device 100 may be configured such that it spansacross and/or above most of the dash 104 of a vehicle 120. As depicted,the HUD device 300 may be accessible by one or more users (e.g., atleast one operator, passenger, etc.). Input may be received by the HUDdevice 300 from one or more users and/or signals simultaneously. Forexample, one user may be adjusting controls and configurations of theHUD device 300 that may be associated with one position of the vehicle120, while another user may be manipulating controls and/orconfigurations associated with another position of the vehicle 120.

FIG. 3C depicts a third representation of a configurable heads-up dashdisplay/cluster in a general viewing area of a vehicle 120 in accordancewith one embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, FIG. 3Cshows the HUD device 300 being configured by a user at one of thevehicle console displays 108 b. During the configuration of the HUDdevice via at least one of the console displays 108 a, 108 b, aconfiguration display screen 280 may be shown in part of orsubstantially most of a console display 108 a, 108 b GUI.

FIG. 3D depicts a fourth representation of a configurable heads-up dashdisplay/cluster in a general viewing area of a vehicle 120 in accordancewith one embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, the HUDdevice 300 is displaying a warning indicator, message, and/or cue image224. The warning indicator 224 may behave, be configured, and/or bedisplayed as described above, specifically with respect to FIG. 2G. Allof the aforementioned applications, images, and behaviors may bemodified as required by law and/or rules.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the hardware of thedevice. In general, the device 100 includes a front screen 204 with atouch sensitive display 208. The front screen 204 may be disabled and/orenabled by a suitable command. Moreover, the front screen 204 can betouch sensitive and can include different operative areas. For example,a first operative area, within the touch sensitive screen 204, maycomprise a touch sensitive display 208. In general, the touch sensitivedisplay 208 may comprise a full color, touch sensitive display. A secondarea within each touch sensitive screen 204 may comprise a gesturecapture region 206. The gesture capture region 206 may comprise one ormore area or region that is outside of the touch sensitive display 208area, and that is capable of receiving input, for example in the form ofgestures provided by a user. However, the one or more gesture captureregions 206 do not include pixels that can perform a display function orcapability.

It is further anticipated that a third region of the touch sensitivescreen 204 may comprise one or more configurable areas. The configurablearea is capable of receiving input and has display or limited displaycapabilities. As can be appreciated, the configurable area may occupyany part of the touch sensitive screen 204 not allocated to a gesturecapture region 206 or touch sensitive display 208. In embodiments, theconfigurable area may present different input options to the user. Forexample, the configurable area may display buttons or other relatableitems. Moreover, the identity of displayed buttons, or whether anybuttons are displayed at all within the configurable area of the touchsensitive screen 204 may be determined from the context in which thedevice 100 is used and/or operated. In an exemplary embodiment, thetouch sensitive screen 204 comprises liquid crystal display devicesextending across at least the region of the touch sensitive screen 204that is capable of providing visual output to a user, and a resistiveand/or capacitive input matrix over the regions of the touch sensitivescreen 204 that are capable of receiving input from the user.

One or more display controllers 416 may be provided for controlling theoperation of the touch sensitive screen 204, including input (touchsensing) and output (display) functions. In the exemplary embodimentillustrated in FIG. 4, a touch screen controller 416 is provided for thetouch screen 204 and/or a HUD 418. In accordance with some embodiments,the functions of a touch screen controller 416 may be incorporated intoother components, such as a processor 404.

The processor 404 may comprise a general purpose programmable processoror controller for executing application programming or instructions. Inaccordance with at least some embodiments, the processor 404 may includemultiple processor cores, and/or implement multiple virtual processors.In accordance with still other embodiments, the processor 404 mayinclude multiple physical processors. As a particular example, theprocessor 404 may comprise a specially configured application specificintegrated circuit (ASIC) or other integrated circuit, a digital signalprocessor, a controller, a hardwired electronic or logic circuit, aprogrammable logic device or gate array, a special purpose computer, orthe like. The processor 404 generally functions to run programming codeor instructions implementing various functions of the device 100.

A device 100 may also include memory 408 for use in connection with theexecution of application programming or instructions by the processor404, and for the temporary or long term storage of program instructionsand/or data. As examples, the memory 408 may comprise RAM, DRAM, SDRAM,or other solid state memory. Alternatively or in addition, data storage412 may be provided. Like the memory 408, the data storage 412 maycomprise a solid state memory device or devices. Alternatively or inaddition, the data storage 412 may comprise a hard disk drive or otherrandom access memory.

In support of communications functions or capabilities, the device 100can include a cellular telephony module 428. As examples, the cellulartelephony module 428 can comprise a GSM, CDMA, FDMA and/or analogcellular telephony transceiver capable of supporting voice, multimediaand/or data transfers over a cellular network. Alternatively or inaddition, the device 100 can include an additional or other wirelesscommunications module 432. As examples, the other wirelesscommunications module 432 can comprise a Wi-Fi, BLUETOOTH™, WiMax,infrared, or other wireless communications link. The cellular telephonymodule 428 and the other wireless communications module 432 can each beassociated with a shared or a dedicated antenna 424.

A port interface 452 may be included. The port interface 452 may includeproprietary or universal ports to support the interconnection of thedevice 100 to other devices or components, such as a dock, which may ormay not include additional or different capabilities from those integralto the device 100. In addition to supporting an exchange ofcommunication signals between the device 100 and another device orcomponent, the docking port 244 and/or port interface 452 can supportthe supply of power to or from the device 100. The port interface 452also comprises an intelligent element that comprises a docking modulefor controlling communications or other interactions between the device100 and a connected device or component.

An input/output module 448 and associated ports may be included tosupport communications over wired networks or links, for example withother communication devices, server devices, and/or peripheral devices.Examples of an input/output module 248 include an Ethernet port, aUniversal Serial Bus (USB) port, Institute of Electrical and ElectronicsEngineers (IEEE) 1394, or other interface.

An audio input/output interface/device(s) 444 can be included to provideanalog audio to an interconnected speaker or other device, and toreceive analog audio input from a connected microphone or other device.As an example, the audio input/output interface/device(s) 444 maycomprise an associated amplifier and analog to digital converter.Alternatively or in addition, the device 100 can include an integratedaudio input/output device 456 and/or an audio jack for interconnectingan external speaker or microphone. For example, an integrated speakerand an integrated microphone can be provided, to support near talk orspeaker phone operations.

Hardware buttons can be included for example for use in connection withcertain control operations. Examples include a master power switch,volume control, etc., as described herein. One or more image captureinterfaces/devices 440, such as a camera, can be included for capturingstill and/or video images. Alternatively or in addition, an imagecapture interface/device 440 can include a scanner or code reader. Animage capture interface/device 440 can include or be associated withadditional elements, such as a flash or other light source.

The device 100 can also include a global positioning system (GPS)receiver 436. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention,the GPS receiver 436 may further comprise a GPS module that is capableof providing absolute location information to other components of thedevice 100. An accelerometer(s)/gyroscope(s) 256 may also be included.For example, in connection with the display of information to a userand/or other functions, a signal from the accelerometer/gyroscope 256can be used to determine an orientation and/or format in which todisplay that information to the user. In some embodiments, theaccelerometer/gyroscope 256 may comprise at least one accelerometer andat least one gyroscope.

Embodiments of the present invention can also include one or moremagnetic sensing feature 252. The magnetic sensing feature 252 can beconfigured to provide a signal indicating the position of the devicerelative to a vehicle-mounted position. This information can be providedas an input, for example to a user interface application, to determinean operating mode, characteristics of the touch sensitive display 208and/or other device 100 operations. As examples, a magnetic sensingfeature 252 can comprise one or more of Hall-effect sensors, a multipleposition switch, an optical switch, a Wheatstone bridge, apotentiometer, or other arrangement capable of providing a signalindicating of multiple relative positions the touch screens are in.Alternatively, the magnetic sensing feature 252 may comprise one or moremetallic elements used by other sensors associated with the consoleand/or vehicle to determine whether the device 100 is in avehicle-mounted position. These metallic elements may include but arenot limited to rare-earth magnets, electromagnets, ferrite and/orferrite alloys, and/or other material capable of being detected by arange of sensors.

Communications between various components of the device 100 can becarried by one or more buses 420. In addition, power can be supplied tothe components of the device 100 from a power source and/or powercontrol module 460. The power control module 460 can, for example,include a battery, an AC to DC converter, power control logic, and/orports for interconnecting the device 100 to an external source of power.

FIG. 5 depicts a block diagram of an embodiment of the device softwareand/or firmware. The memory 508 may store and the processor 504 mayexecute one or more software components. These components can include atleast one operating system (OS) 516, an application manager 562, a dashdisplay desktop 566, and/or one or more applications 564 a and/or 564 bfrom an application store 560. The OS 516 can include a framework 520,one or more frame buffers 548, one or more drivers 512, and/or a kernel518. The OS 516 can be any software, consisting of programs and data,which manages computer hardware resources and provides common servicesfor the execution of various applications 564. The OS 516 can be anyoperating system and, at least in some embodiments, dedicated to mobiledevices, including, but not limited to, Linux, ANDROID™, iPhone OS(IOS™), WINDOWS PHONE 7™, etc. The OS 516 is operable to providefunctionality to the device 100 by executing one or more operations, asdescribed herein.

The applications 564 can be any higher level software that executesparticular console functionality for the user. Applications 564 caninclude programs such as vehicle control applications, email clients,web browsers, texting applications, games, media players, office suites,etc. The applications 564 can be stored in an application store 560,which may represent any memory or data storage, and the managementsoftware associated therewith, for storing the applications 564. Onceexecuted, the applications 564 may be run in a different area of memory508.

The framework 520 may be any software or data that allows the multipletasks running on the device to interact. In embodiments, at leastportions of the framework 520 and the discrete components describedhereinafter may be considered part of the OS 516 or an application 564.However, these portions will be described as part of the framework 520,but those components are not so limited. The framework 520 can include,but is not limited to, a Surface Cache module 528, a Window Managementmodule 532, an Input Management module 536, an Application Model Manager542, a Display Controller, one or more frame buffers 548, and/or anevent buffer 556.

The Surface Cache module 528 includes any memory or storage and thesoftware associated therewith to store or cache one or more images ofapplications, windows, and/or console screens. A series of active and/ornon-active windows (or other display objects, such as, a desktopdisplay) can be associated with each display. An active window (or otherdisplay object) is currently displayed. A non-active window (or otherdisplay objects) was opened and, at some time, displayed but are now notdisplayed. To enhance the user experience, before a window transitionsfrom an active state to an inactive state, a “screen shot” of a lastgenerated image of the window (or other display object) can be stored.The Surface Cache module 528 may be operable to store a bitmap of thelast active image of a window (or other display object) not currentlydisplayed. Thus, the Surface Cache module 528 stores the images ofnon-active windows (or other display objects) in a data store.

In embodiments, the Window Management module 532 is operable to managethe windows (or other display objects) that are active or not active oneach of the displays. The Window Management module 532, based oninformation from the OS 516, or other components, determines when awindow (or other display object) is visible or not active. The WindowManagement module 532 may then put a non-visible window (or otherdisplay object) in a “not active state” and, in conjunction with theTask Management module Task Management 540 suspends the application'soperation. Further, the Window Management module 532 may assign adisplay identifier to the window (or other display object) or manage oneor more other items of data associated with the window (or other displayobject). The Window Management module 532 may also provide the storedinformation to the application 564, or other components interacting withor associated with the window (or other display object). The WindowManagement module 532 can also associate an input task with a windowbased on window focus and display coordinates within the motion space.

The Input Management module 536 is operable to manage events that occurwith the device. An event is any input into the window environment, forexample, a user interface interactions with a user. The Input Managementmodule 536 receives the events and logically stores the events in anevent buffer 556. Events can include such user interface interactions asa “down event,” which occurs when the screen 204 receives a touch signalfrom a user, a “move event,” which occurs when the screen 204 determinesthat a user's finger is moving across a screen(s), an “up event, whichoccurs when the screen 204 determines that the user has stopped touchingthe screen 204 etc. These events are received, stored, and forwarded toother modules by the Input Management module 536. The Input Managementmodule 536 may also map screen inputs to a motion space which is theculmination of all physical and virtual display available on the device.

The frame buffer 548 is a logical structure(s) used to render the userinterface. The frame buffer 548 can be created and destroyed by the OSkernel 518. However, the Display Controller 544 can write the imagedata, for the visible windows, into the frame buffer 548. A frame buffer548 can be associated with one screen or multiple screens. Theassociation of a frame buffer 548 with a screen can be controlleddynamically by interaction with the OS kernel 518. A composite displaymay be created by associating multiple screens with a single framebuffer 548. Graphical data used to render an application's window userinterface may then be written to the single frame buffer 548, for thecomposite display, which is output to the multiple screens 204. TheDisplay Controller 544 can direct an application's user interface to aportion of the frame buffer 548 that is mapped to a particular display208, thus, displaying the user interface on only one screen 204. TheDisplay Controller 544 can extend the control over user interfaces tomultiple applications, controlling the user interfaces for as manydisplays as are associated with a frame buffer 548 or a portion thereof.This approach compensates for the physical screen 204 and any otherconsole screens that are in use by the software component above theDisplay Controller 544.

The Application Manager 562 is an application that provides apresentation layer for the window environment. Thus, the ApplicationManager 562 provides the graphical model for rendering. Likewise, theDesktop 566 provides the presentation layer for the Application Store560. Thus, the desktop provides a graphical model of a surface havingselectable application icons for the Applications 564 in the ApplicationStore 560 that can be provided to the Window Management Module 556 forrendering.

Further, the framework can include an Application Model Manager (AMM)542. The Application Manager 562 may interface with the AMM 542. Inembodiments, the AMM 542 receives state change information from thedevice 100 regarding the state of applications (which are running orsuspended). The AMM 542 can associate bit map images from the SurfaceCache Module 528 to the applications that are alive (running orsuspended). Further, the AMM 542 may provide a list of executingapplications to the Application Manager 562.

Referring to FIG. 6, a flow diagram depicting a first configurable dashdisplay method 600 is shown in accordance with embodiments of thepresent disclosure. A device 100 may be displaying one or moreapplications on the GUI of a dash display in a first presentation layout(step 604). The method continues by detecting input received at thedevice 100, in particular at the GUI (step 608). This input isinterpreted by the device 100 to determine a corresponding processoraction (step 612). For instance, the received input may represent aninstruction to change the first presentation layout displayed on thedevice 100 at which point the method continues at step 616.Alternatively, the received input may be some other type of recognizedand/or unrecognized input and the processor may determine alternateaction based on this input. In the event that the input is determined asan instruction to change the presentation layout, the processor selectsa second presentation layout to display on the GUI, and sends a commandto display the second presentation layout at step 616.

The method 600 may continue by detecting further input at the GUI (step620). This further input may represent a plurality of commands,including but not limited to a change presentation layout command or anapplication control command. In the event that the input represents achange presentation layout command, the method may continue at 612.However, in the event that the input represents an application controlcommand, the method continues at step 628. The processor may determinewhich vehicle function is to be controlled based on the input andcontrol the function as the input directs (step 628). Once the vehiclefunction is controlled, the method 600 may continue at step 620 todetect additional input and may even repeat the process 600.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram depicting a second configurable dash displayconsole method 700 in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure. In general, the method 700 is directed to an automaticallyconfigurable dash display in response to specific inputs detected. Themethod begins at step 704, where the device detects input received. Thisinput may be received via a communication interface with the vehicleand/or with associated devices. For instance, input may include but isnot limited to that received from one or more phones associated with avehicle. Additionally or alternatively, the input may be received fromsensors and/or equipment associated with the vehicle. For example, theinput may be in the form of a sensor signal sent via CAN Bus andassociated controllers to the device 100. The method 700 continues atstep 708, where the processor determines whether the input receivedqualifies as an emergency event. It may be desired to store in memoryspecific signals and/or signal conditions that the device 100 may referto in determining one or more emergency event matches. In the event thatthe input received indicates an emergency event has occurred, anemergency identifier may be displayed on the GUI (step 712). Thisidentifier may be displayed on any available GUI that is incommunication with, or part of, the device 100, including a heads-updisplay or HUD unit.

The method 700 may include an alert and/or alarm along with the displayof an emergency identifier when an emergency is detected (step 716). Thealarm, as described above, may include at least one audible output,and/or visual alarm indicators. Visual alarm indicators may emphasize anexisting and/or newly displayed application. Additionally oralternatively, the visual alarm indicator may de-emphasize non-essentialdisplayed applications. This de-emphasis may take the form, but is notlimited to, one or more of dimming, hiding, resizing, and generallyaltering the display of one or more applications. It is anticipated thatthe alarm may be acknowledged by a user from entering input at thedevice 100 (step 724). Further, the alarm and/or the emergency event maybe reset based on rules (step 728). For instance, a user may acknowledgean alarm event and silence, reset, and/or remove an alarm by providing aspecific input to the display. Rules stored in a memory may determinewhether the alarm and/or emergency event may be reset. The device 100may detect input at the GUI, which may be equipped with various featuresas described above, including a camera, microphone, and touch sensitivedisplay (step 720). For example, the device 100 may be configured toreceive audible, visual, touch, and/or a combination thereof as thevarious input. Additionally or alternatively, one or more specific iconsmay be selected automatically by the processor. This automatic selectionmay be in response to certain signals that represent a priority ofemergency.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram depicting a third configurable dash displaymethod in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. Ingeneral, the method is directed to changing an appearance of one or moreapplications based on input received. A device 100 may be displaying oneor more applications on the GUI and/or HUD unit of a dash display in afirst appearance (step 804, 806). The method continues by detectinginput received at the device, in particular at a GUI associated with thedevice 100 (step 808). This input is interpreted by the device 100 todetermine a corresponding processor action (step 812). For example, thereceived input may represent an instruction to alter the firstappearance of at least one application displayed on the GUI at whichpoint the method continues at step 818. Alternatively, the receivedinput may be some other type of recognized and/or unrecognized input andthe processor may determine at least one other action based on thisinput. In the event that the input is determined as an instruction tochange the at least one application appearance, the processor selects atleast one second application appearance to display on at least one ofthe GUI and HUD unit, and sends a command to display the at least onesecond application appearance at step 818. The method 800 may continueby repeating the process for any other appearance changes and/or layoutchanges.

The exemplary systems and methods of this disclosure have been describedin relation to configurable vehicle dash displays and associateddevices. As suggested by this disclosure, features may be shared betweena configurable dash display device 100 and a configurable HUD device300. However, to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the present disclosure,the preceding description omits a number of known structures anddevices. This omission is not to be construed as a limitation of thescopes of the claims. Specific details are set forth to provide anunderstanding of the present disclosure. It should however beappreciated that the present disclosure may be practiced in a variety ofways beyond the specific detail set forth herein.

Furthermore, while the exemplary aspects, embodiments, and/orconfigurations illustrated herein show the various components of thesystem collocated, certain components of the system can be locatedremotely, at distant portions of a distributed network, such as a LANand/or the Internet, or within a dedicated system. Thus, it should beappreciated, that the components of the system can be combined in to oneor more devices, such as a Personal Computer (PC), laptop, netbook,smart phone, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), tablet, etc., orcollocated on a particular node of a distributed network, such as ananalog and/or digital telecommunications network, a packet-switchnetwork, or a circuit-switched network. It will be appreciated from thepreceding description, and for reasons of computational efficiency, thatthe components of the system can be arranged at any location within adistributed network of components without affecting the operation of thesystem. For example, the various components can be located in a switchsuch as a PBX and media server, gateway, in one or more communicationsdevices, at one or more users' premises, or some combination thereof.Similarly, one or more functional portions of the system could bedistributed between a telecommunications device(s) and an associatedcomputing device.

Furthermore, it should be appreciated that the various links connectingthe elements can be wired or wireless links, or any combination thereof,or any other known or later developed element(s) that is capable ofsupplying and/or communicating data to and from the connected elements.These wired or wireless links can also be secure links and may becapable of communicating encrypted information. Transmission media usedas links, for example, can be any suitable carrier for electricalsignals, including coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, and maytake the form of acoustic or light waves, such as those generated duringradio-wave and infra-red data communications.

Also, while the flowcharts have been discussed and illustrated inrelation to a particular sequence of events, it should be appreciatedthat changes, additions, and omissions to this sequence can occurwithout materially affecting the operation of the disclosed embodiments,configuration, and aspects.

A number of variations and modifications of the disclosure can be used.It would be possible to provide for some features of the disclosurewithout providing others.

In some embodiments, the systems and methods of this disclosure can beimplemented in conjunction with a special purpose computer, a programmedmicroprocessor or microcontroller and peripheral integrated circuitelement(s), an ASIC or other integrated circuit, a digital signalprocessor, a hard-wired electronic or logic circuit such as discreteelement circuit, a programmable logic device or gate array such as PLD,PLA, FPGA, PAL, special purpose computer, any comparable means, or thelike. In general, any device(s) or means capable of implementing themethodology illustrated herein can be used to implement the variousaspects of this disclosure. Exemplary hardware that can be used for thedisclosed embodiments, configurations and aspects includes computers,handheld devices, telephones (e.g., cellular, Internet enabled, digital,analog, hybrids, and others), and other hardware known in the art. Someof these devices include processors (e.g., a single or multiplemicroprocessors), memory, nonvolatile storage, input devices, and outputdevices. Furthermore, alternative software implementations including,but not limited to, distributed processing or component/objectdistributed processing, parallel processing, or virtual machineprocessing can also be constructed to implement the methods describedherein.

In yet another embodiment, the disclosed methods may be readilyimplemented in conjunction with software using object or object-orientedsoftware development environments that provide portable source code thatcan be used on a variety of computer or workstation platforms.Alternatively, the disclosed system may be implemented partially orfully in hardware using standard logic circuits or VLSI design. Whethersoftware or hardware is used to implement the systems in accordance withthis disclosure is dependent on the speed and/or efficiency requirementsof the system, the particular function, and the particular software orhardware systems or microprocessor or microcomputer systems beingutilized.

In yet another embodiment, the disclosed methods may be partiallyimplemented in software that can be stored on a storage medium, executedon programmed general-purpose computer with the cooperation of acontroller and memory, a special purpose computer, a microprocessor, orthe like. In these instances, the systems and methods of this disclosurecan be implemented as program embedded on personal computer such as anapplet, JAVA® or CGI script, as a resource residing on a server orcomputer workstation, as a routine embedded in a dedicated measurementsystem, system component, or the like. The system can also beimplemented by physically incorporating the system and/or method into asoftware and/or hardware system.

Although the present disclosure describes components and functionsimplemented in the aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations withreference to particular standards and protocols, the aspects,embodiments, and/or configurations are not limited to such standards andprotocols. Other similar standards and protocols not mentioned hereinare in existence and are considered to be included in the presentdisclosure. Moreover, the standards and protocols mentioned herein andother similar standards and protocols not mentioned herein areperiodically superseded by faster or more effective equivalents havingessentially the same functions. Such replacement standards and protocolshaving the same functions are considered equivalents included in thepresent disclosure.

The present disclosure, in various aspects, embodiments, and/orconfigurations, includes components, methods, processes, systems and/orapparatus substantially as depicted and described herein, includingvarious aspects, embodiments, configurations embodiments,subcombinations, and/or subsets thereof. Those of skill in the art willunderstand how to make and use the disclosed aspects, embodiments,and/or configurations after understanding the present disclosure. Thepresent disclosure, in various aspects, embodiments, and/orconfigurations, includes providing devices and processes in the absenceof items not depicted and/or described herein or in various aspects,embodiments, and/or configurations hereof, including in the absence ofsuch items as may have been used in previous devices or processes, e.g.,for improving performance, achieving ease and\or reducing cost ofimplementation.

The foregoing discussion has been presented for purposes of illustrationand description. The foregoing is not intended to limit the disclosureto the form or forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing DetailedDescription for example, various features of the disclosure are groupedtogether in one or more aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations forthe purpose of streamlining the disclosure. The features of the aspects,embodiments, and/or configurations of the disclosure may be combined inalternate aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations other than thosediscussed above. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted asreflecting an intention that the claims require more features than areexpressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claimsreflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a singleforegoing disclosed aspect, embodiment, and/or configuration. Thus, thefollowing claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description,with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodimentof the disclosure.

Moreover, though the description has included description of one or moreaspects, embodiments, and/or configurations and certain variations andmodifications, other variations, combinations, and modifications arewithin the scope of the disclosure, e.g., as may be within the skill andknowledge of those in the art, after understanding the presentdisclosure. It is intended to obtain rights which include alternativeaspects, embodiments, and/or configurations to the extent permitted,including alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures,functions, ranges or steps to those claimed, whether or not suchalternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions,ranges or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publiclydedicate any patentable subject matter.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of configuring a heads-up display(“HUD”) of a vehicle dash, comprising: displaying, at a first time,vehicle dash information in a first layout on at least one of agraphical user interface (“GUI”) and a HUD unit to project the vehicledash information above a vehicle dash, wherein the vehicle dashinformation comprises one or more applications, and wherein the one ormore applications correspond to vehicle readouts; receiving a firstinput at the GUI, wherein the first input corresponds to an instructionto alter the first layout of the vehicle dash information to a secondlayout of the vehicle dash information, and wherein the second layout ofthe vehicle dash information is different from the first layout of thevehicle dash information; selecting, by a processor, the second layoutof the vehicle dash information to display on the GUI and project by theHUD unit; and displaying, at a second time, the second layout of thevehicle dash information by the HUD unit.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein the same vehicle dash information is displayed in the first andsecond layout.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second layout ofthe vehicle dash information is selected from one or more preconfiguredlayouts.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle readouts includeat least one of a speedometer, odometer, tachometer, trip meter, fuelgage, temperature gage, electrical gage, and indicators.
 5. The methodof claim 1, further comprising: receiving a second input at the GUI,wherein the second input represents an instruction to cease a display ofone or more applications to at least one of the GUI and the HUD unit,wherein at least one of the first and second layouts includes a type ofvehicle dash information not in the other of the first and secondlayouts.
 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving asecond input at the GUI, wherein the second input represents aninstruction to alter a first display position associated with at leastone application of the one or more applications; determining, by aprocessor, the first display position to alter based on the secondinput; altering the first display position of the at least oneapplication based on the second input; and displaying, the altered firstdisplay position of the at least one application as a second displayposition on the HUD unit.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein altering thefirst layout of the one or more applications to the second layout of theone or more applications includes adding at least one application to bedisplayed on the HUD unit.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein alteringthe first layout of the one or more applications to the second layout ofthe one or more applications includes removing at least one applicationfrom being displayed on the HUD unit.
 9. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: receiving a second input at the GUI, wherein the secondinput corresponds to an instruction to save the second layout in amemory; and saving the second layout in a memory.
 10. The method ofclaim 1, wherein at least one of the GUI and the HUD is partitioned intotwo or more zones, wherein each of the two or more zones is capable ofdisplaying the vehicle dash information.
 11. The method of claim 10,wherein a first zone of the two or more zones is configured to display afirst application of the one or more applications in the first layout,and wherein a second zone of the two or more zones is configured todisplay the first application of the one or more applications in thesecond layout.
 12. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receivingone or more signals sent from a plurality of sensing elements associatedwith a vehicle; interpreting, by a processor, the one or more signals todetermine whether an emergency event has occurred; determining that anemergency event has occurred; and displaying, automatically, at leastone emergency identifier on the HUD unit.
 13. The method of claim 12,wherein the interpretation step further comprises: referring to amemory, wherein the memory stores rules that define a plurality ofsignal conditions corresponding to an emergency event.
 14. The method ofclaim 12, wherein the emergency identifier is displayed as a thirdlayout of the one or more applications on the HUD unit.
 15. The methodof claim 12, wherein the emergency identifier is displayed on the HUDunit and at least one GUI.
 16. The method of claim 12, wherein theemergency identifier is displayed over at least one of the first andsecond layout of the one or more applications on the HUD unit.
 17. Themethod of claim 16, wherein an appearance of at least one of the firstand second layout is altered to emphasize the display of the emergencyidentifier.
 18. A non-transitory computer readable medium havinginstructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, performthe method of claim
 1. 19. A method of configuring an appearance of oneor more applications shown on a heads-up display (“HUD”) of a vehicledash, comprising: displaying, at a first time, a first appearance of oneor more applications on at least one of a graphical user interface(“GUI”) and a HUD unit, wherein the one or more applications correspondto one or more instruments associated with the vehicle dash, and whereinthe first appearance corresponds to at least one of a first aestheticand a first function of the one or more applications; receiving a firstinput at the GUI, the first input corresponding to an instruction toalter the first appearance of the one or more applications to a secondappearance of the one or more applications, and wherein the secondappearance of the one or more applications is different from the firstappearance of the one or more applications; selecting, by a processor,the second appearance of the one or more applications to display on theGUI and project by the HUD unit; and displaying, at a second time, thesecond appearance of the one or more applications by the HUD unit. 20.The method of claim 19, wherein altering the first appearance of the oneor more applications to the second appearance of the one or moreapplications includes adjusting a size of at least one application to bedisplayed on the HUD unit.
 21. The method of claim 19, wherein alteringthe first appearance of the one or more applications to the secondappearance of the one or more applications includes adjusting at leastone scale of at least one application to be displayed on the HUD unit.22. The method of claim 19, further comprising: receiving a second inputat the GUI, wherein the second input corresponds to an instruction tosave the second appearance in a memory; and saving the second appearancein a memory.
 23. A non-transitory computer readable medium havinginstructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, performthe method of claim
 19. 24. A device for configuring a heads-up display(“HUD”) of a vehicle dash to display one or more vehicle applications,comprising: a Graphical User Interface (“GUI”) including a first displayarea; an input gesture area of the first display area; a HUD unit; avehicle signal input/output port, wherein the vehicle signalinput/output port is configured to receive and send signals to and froma plurality of vehicle devices; a non-transitory computer readablemedium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by aprocessor, perform the method comprising: displaying, at a first time,vehicle dash information in a first layout on at least one of the GUIand the HUD unit to project the vehicle dash information above a vehicledash, wherein the vehicle dash information comprises one or moreapplications, and wherein the one or more applications correspond tovehicle readouts; receiving a first input at the GUI, wherein the firstinput corresponds to an instruction to alter the first layout of thevehicle dash information to a second layout of the vehicle dashinformation, and wherein the second layout of the vehicle dashinformation is different from the first layout of the vehicle dashinformation; selecting, by a processor, the second layout of the vehicledash information to display on the GUI and project by the HUD unit; anddisplaying, at a second time, the second layout of the vehicle dashinformation by the HUD unit.
 25. The device of claim 24, wherein the HUDunit further comprises: a projector unit, wherein the projector unit isconfigured to project at least one image representing content associatedwith the vehicle dash; a combiner, wherein the combiner is configured toredirect the at least one image into a field of view of at least oneuser; and a video generating processor, wherein the video generatingprocessor is configured to generate the at least one image to bedisplayed by the projector unit.